After the illness, the child may appear weak and have no appetite. In fact, food intake as a source of nutrition is actually needed by the body for the recovery process. In order for your little one to recover quickly, you need to be more patient and creative in coaxing him to eat.
Children who have difficulty eating after being sick really frustrate parents, because they are worried that the child will recover longer or fall ill again. Apart from being a source of energy, the food consumed by children can indeed help the recovery process of the body that has just recovered from illness. Therefore, you should not give up in persuading your little one to eat. However, don't force your child to eat, let alone scold him. There are several ways you can do to solve this problem.
How to Overcome Children with Difficulty Eating
The following are some ways that parents can do to deal with children who have difficulty eating after illness:
1. Give him the food he likes
So that the child wants to eat, give him the food he likes. Make sure they contain the essential nutrients your body needs for recovery. You can give it chicken soup with eggs and potatoes, as an intake of protein and carbohydrates which are a source of energy. You can also give him vegetables or fruit that taste good, as a source of vitamins and fiber.
2. Pack food in attractive shapes
Try to package food as attractive as possible so that children are more interested in consuming it. For example, shape rice into a cute panda. The trick is to shape the rice into small balls, then decorate with eyebrows, eyes, mouth, and hands using pieces of seaweed. Then give the meat and vegetables as decoration around it.
3. Give food with a delicious aroma
In addition to creatively packaging food, try to tempt your child's sense of smell with food that smells appetizing. The sense of smell also plays a role in increasing appetite.
4. Give children food in small portions but often
If after the illness the child looks difficult to finish his food, do not force him to eat large portions. It will actually make him not want to eat even more. Try to divide the child's food in small portions, but give more often.
5. Provide healthy snacks
As a distraction, provide a healthy snack that he likes. One healthy snack that can be an option is fruit that is easy to consume, such as bananas or fruit salad with attractive colors. Meat and cheese sandwiches, bread with jam, cereal with milk, or whole grain biscuits can also be healthy snack options for children.
6. Give milk that is full of nutrition
If your little one is having a hard time finishing food, you can give him milk to provide the nutrients he needs in recovery. Milk contains a variety of nutrients that can strengthen the immune system, so that the child's recovery process from illness runs faster.
It is advisable to choose milk that contains complete nutrients, such as protein, fat, and carbohydrates that can give him energy to recover. Also choose milk that is fortified with vitamins, minerals, and essential fatty acids, because it can help increase his immune system.
Persuading children to want to eat after being sick can sometimes be difficult. But some of the ways above you can try, so that his nutritional intake is sufficient and he can recover quickly from illness. If your little one still doesn't have an appetite, you should check with the doctor.
